Remove plants that have gone past their prime to prevent a build up of disease and insect problems that may carry over to next year. Plants suspected of viral or fungal diseases should be removed and destroyed (burned if possible).
Reduce the number of pests on your fruit tree(s) for the coming year by picking up and destroying all fallen fruit. Worms hide in the fallen fruit, pupate under the soil and remain there until the following year when they turn to mature grubs.
Remove flowers from herbs including dill, garlic chives, bronze fennel and sage because they will self-sow. The flowers produce seeds that fall around the parent plant and come up as volunteers the following spring.
Control earworms in corn by applying mineral oil with a medicine dropper to ear silks. For detailed information and additional Earworm controls see “Corn Earworm on Vegetables See VCE Publication 3101-1537 – Corn Earworm On Vegetables at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/3103/3103-1537/3103-1537.html.
Water your vegetable garden early in the day so plants can absorb the moisture before the hot sun dries the soil. Early watering also insures that the foliage dries before nightfall. Wet foliage at night increases susceptibility to fungal diseases.
 Lose your gloves often? An installed mousetrap on the internal wall of you garden shed can become a glove trap. Gloves hung there will dry quickly and easily be found.
Prepare the soil for a fall garden by removing plant debris from the area. If the plant material is disease and insect free, the plant material can be worked into the soil. A light layer of compost, aged manure, organic or chemical fertilizer will boost nutrients to support an additional crop planting.
Plant a fall garden. The vegetable gardening season can be extended up to and even past the first frost by planting fall vegetable crops. Protection of vegetable plants during cold periods can extend your growing season even longer. Fall vegetable plant transplants include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, Napa cabbage, and cauliflower plants may be set out in August while collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, radish, spinach, and turnips may be direct sown into the garden. For a complete list of fall vegetables and approximate planting dates see VCE Publication 426-334- Fall Vegetable Garden at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-334/426-334.html.
Plant fall cover crops can add organic matter to your soil. In garden areas that will not be used until spring, August is the time to start planning and planting cover crops. Gardeners often fail to take the opportunity to plant a fall cover crop. In addition to adding organic matter to the soil, fall cover crops also capture unused nutrients that may leech away in the winter, making the nutrients available for the following spring crops. A cover crop also protects the soil from wind and water erosion. In addition, cover crops provide weed control by limiting and out competing weeds for light, moisture and nutrients. For additional information on cover crops see VCE Publication 426-326- Mulches For The Home Vegetable Garden athttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-326/426-326.html and VCE Publication 426-711- Building Healthy Soil at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-711/426-711.html.
Remove plants that have gone past their prime to prevent a build up of disease and insect problems that may carry over to next year. Plants suspected of viral or fungal diseases should be removed and destroyed (burned if possible).
Reduce the number of pests on your fruit tree(s) for the coming year by picking up and destroying all fallen fruit. Worms hide in the fallen fruit, pupate under the soil and remain there until the following year when they turn to mature grubs.
Remove flowers from herbs including dill, garlic chives, bronze fennel and sage because they will self-sow. The flowers produce seeds that fall around the parent plant and come up as volunteers the following spring.
Control earworms in corn by applying mineral oil with a medicine dropper to ear silks. For detailed information and additional Earworm controls see “Corn Earworm on Vegetables See VCE Publication 3101-1537 – Corn Earworm On Vegetables at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/3103/3103-1537/3103-1537.html.
Water your vegetable garden early in the day so plants can absorb the moisture before the hot sun dries the soil. Early watering also insures that the foliage dries before nightfall. Wet foliage at night increases susceptibility to fungal diseases.
 Lose your gloves often? An installed mousetrap on the internal wall of you garden shed can become a glove trap. Gloves hung there will dry quickly and easily be found.
Prepare the soil for a fall garden by removing plant debris from the area. If the plant material is disease and insect free, the plant material can be worked into the soil. A light layer of compost, aged manure, organic or chemical fertilizer will boost nutrients to support an additional crop planting.
Plant a fall garden. The vegetable gardening season can be extended up to and even past the first frost by planting fall vegetable crops. Protection of vegetable plants during cold periods can extend your growing season even longer. Fall vegetable plant transplants include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, Napa cabbage, and cauliflower plants may be set out in August while collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, radish, spinach, and turnips may be direct sown into the garden. For a complete list of fall vegetables and approximate planting dates see VCE Publication 426-334- Fall Vegetable Garden at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-334/426-334.html.
Plant fall cover crops can add organic matter to your soil. In garden areas that will not be used until spring, August is the time to start planning and planting cover crops. Gardeners often fail to take the opportunity to plant a fall cover crop. In addition to adding organic matter to the soil, fall cover crops also capture unused nutrients that may leech away in the winter, making the nutrients available for the following spring crops. A cover crop also protects the soil from wind and water erosion. In addition, cover crops provide weed control by limiting and out competing weeds for light, moisture and nutrients. For additional information on cover crops see VCE Publication 426-326- Mulches For The Home Vegetable Garden athttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-326/426-326.html and VCE Publication 426-711- Building Healthy Soil at http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-711/426-711.html